Picket-fence machine



(No Model) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. E. REDMOND. PIGKET FENCE MACHINE.

No. 410,650. Patented Sept. 10-. 1889.

Win 19555 5:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD REDMOND, OF PERRY, MICHIGAN.

PlCKET-FENCE MACH l N E.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 410,650, dated September 10, 1889.

Application filed May 27, 1889. Serial No. 312,272. (No model.) I

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD REDMOND, a citizen of the United States, residing at Perry, in the county of Shiawassee and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Picket-Fence Machines, of which the followingis a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in picket-fence machines; and the invention consists in the construction of the twister-wheels, whereby they maybe used either for twisting both strands of the wire or using a straight wire and a binding-strand; further, in the construction-of a guide-Wheel and outrigger, and, further, in the construction of a spreader-wheel secured between the wires to hold them at all times a proper distance apart, so that the machine may be readily moved along in building the fence, all as more fully hereinafter described.

In the drawings which accompany this specification, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved machine as in use. Fig. 2 is a cross section thereof through the upper twister-wheel. Fig. 3 is a similar section showing the use of the machine with a straight wire and a binding-wire. Fig. at is a vertical central section through the machine. Fig. 5 is a perspective View of one of the twister-wheels detached. Fig. 6 is a side elevation thereof in its bracket. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the guide -wheel and bracket. Fig. 8 is a cross-section through the guide-wheel and bracket on line at ca, Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the spreaderwheel.

The frame of the machine consists of the two parallel side bars A A, connected at the top and bottom by the cross-bars B, which .are preferably made of iron and centrally apertured to make bearings O for a vertical shaft D journaled therein. Upon this shaft are secured the worms Eone for each twisterspool.

F are rotary twister-spools journaled in suitable bearings G, which are secured to the frame in pairs and project laterally therefrom. Each bearing is preferably cast in one piece, and a portion of it is cut away to form an opening II, corresponding in each pair of brackets.

The twister-spools are cast hollow, and are provided between their bearings with suitable spurs a, adapted to engage with the worms E and with the heads 1), in which are formed the wire-passages c, which passages extend outwardly and communicate with the oblique slots (Z, formed in the periphery of each twister-spool. To the outer face of the frame is secured the stub-shaft 6, upon which is journaled the gear-wheel I, which is provided with a crank-handle J and engages with the pinion k, secured upon the shaft D.

In constructing my fence I preferably use a single straight heavy wire Z, which passes through the center wire-passage min each of the twister-wheels. This wire-passage connects by means of the aperture 01 with the oblique slot d, thus forming a continuous opening from the outside to the wire-passage m.

hen the central wire has been secured in position in the wire-passage m, I secure a detachable plug 0 in the aperture 01 between the central wire-passage and the outer wire-passage c. This plug is preferably made tapering, and is provided with a key-hole 9', in which a suitable key 1' may be placed to se cure the plug in position. The plug is preferably grooved at s and s to form a complementary part of the circular wire-passages. In this construction of fence the eccentric wire-passage c carries the binding-wire t.

It is evident that in the construction of the device the machine will he slid along the main Wire Z, and that in twisting the binding-wire will be turned about the picket, securing it in position, as shown in Fig.

K are bumpers secured at the rear of the machine to receive the thrust of the machine against the picket.

L is an outrigger consisting of two arms pivotally secured to the machine, the upper arm L being provided with a slot 25, in which engages the set-screw t. The manner of adjusting the outrigger up or down the necessary distance is obvious. At the upper end of the outrigger is secured a suitable bracket M, provided with an annular bearing M, which is preferably cast in one piece with the body portion M The bearing has the cut-away portion N, and on its inner face is provided with a groove N. The guide-wheel O is j ournaled in this bearing by means of an inverted-V-shaped rib O on its periphery.

To secure the parts together, the bearing M is made of suitable material to allow of a certain amount of spring, and it is sprung out sufiiciently to allow of the engagement of the ribs 0 in the groove N, when it is allowed larger diameter than the space between the wire-passag( s in the twister-Wheels, and is provided upon its circumference with a groove Q. This spreader-Wheel in practice is placed between the wires, as shown in Fig. 1, between the machine and the guide-wheel, the tension of the wires being sufficient to hold it in position. The function of this spreader- Wheel is to keep the wires sufficiently spread apart and ahead of the machine to allow of its being moved forward morereadily.

The dotted lines at S in Fig. 2 show the machine as it is being moved forward.

What I claim as my invention is l 1. In aWire-fence machine, a twister-wheel provided with the central wire-passage con1 municating with the slotted periphery, and a detachable plug secured between such central aperture and the periphery, substantially as described.

2. In a wire-fence machine, a twister-wheel provided with one or more eccentric wire-passages and a central wire-passage connecting with one of said eccentric wire-passages, and a detachable plug between said passages, substantially as described.

3. In a picket-fence machine, the'combination, with a frame, twister-Wheels journaled therein, and suitable gearing for driving the same, of an outrigger pivotally connected to said frame, a bracket provided with slotted annular bearing having a groove on its inner surface, and a guide-wheel secured in said bearing, substantially as described.

EDWARD REDMOND.

VVitnesses':

J. PAUL MAYER, P. M. HULBERT. 

